Automobile signal device



| VAN GALE AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Jan. 24, 192:5

35% @dom/bmj LouisI van dann,"y or ASTORIA, NEW'YORK.

AUTOMOBILE stenen DEVICE; i y

Application led' January 24;, 1923..` Serial No.` 614,529;

vrIhis inventionfrelates to lauto signals, socalled,A Awhich are signal devices ttor use on automobiles or ior like purposts.` lnparticular, this invention has tor its object the rsimplifieation of construction, cheapening construction and otheradvantages which will hereinafter, appear. rl`he construction particularly involves the casing ot'suclrsignalsy orsignal boxes, and especial-ly sections of signal' boxes such asv those shown and i described in my,co-pendina'y application 'for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 58T,- 693, iledfSeptember 12,1922.

Among. the particular objects are theconstruction ofy sections `tor signal boxes which will provide in a most convenient and simple way for the receptionfo't the glass or transparent side pieces which are transparencies andfmaiy be otvarious forms, and. also the economy ofstamping. an'd'prcssing the sides of the box and the assembling-ot' the sides or sections, in orde-r to economize in theV operations and totheret'ore simplify the process oficonstruction and at the same time provide a thoroughly durable and substantial article of this character. y

While the inventions may be embodied in various ways, Ihave shown certain particular embodiments inthe accompanying drawings,yin'which:

F'g; l isa rearelevation'ol a signal boX.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ot Fig. l.r

Fig..3is a vertical longitudinal section o-a'separately-made section assembbable as an element ot the box. l

F ig;I LP is a.: crosssection on an lenlarged scale, Onthe line P-t of Fig. 3.v v v Fig. 5 is a bottom view ot the sectional element as shown in Fig. 3.

The signal box comprises the base l with an upright side 2 and a hinged side 3 and a top 4. Between the base l and the top are three elements constituting separately made and readily assembbablesections 5-4-5.

The separate element 5 is made ot two pieces of sheet metal 6, 7 each one of which is bent U-shape with one short side leg 8 andl one long side leg` 9, with the wall between the same out out to form a window 1'0 permitting a clear `view ot a glass or other suitable transparency 1l. This is preferably ot' glass with the lettering-Stop or Right or Left-so arranged that an velectric light 12 on the inside ot' the section will suitably display the visibility ot these words, as provided in signals and as more specifically set firmly in position..

the nature of this transparency, `thismay be subject to suitabley modifications.

rlhe legs 8, Qrot sections 6,7, on thisbOX element 5, each terminate ina orimpedvedge.

. forth infmy 'co-pending application. Asgito so that. theedge of one engageslthe edge ot' the juxtaposed section* to v'torni Aloeksea1ns 139-13. rlhusthe sections-andii may be". made of identicalstampingaand:infview their shape permit'tl'ieir mamilacture with simple operations: and withgreat economy. rlhus the crimped edges for .the lock joints rial, and as soon as it is bent-.upthe reversed may be made inthe edge. of the otherf mate-` sections may be. slid together longitudinally so that tl'ie loclt jointsengage, andthe-:box so formedv isl put-over ai mandrel and the'- joints pressedpthereby., completingl af solid. structure. 4,. y e F f p In the top and bottom of thesesections,

at suitable time in' the. manufacture, ears lll-let. are pressed` out oif` what becomesfthe topyand bottomV ot. they .sectional element, which ears are .bent down7 gas shown tt-14a, 14?, when the glass llis inserted .inth'ecompletedv section,y and thereby hold) the glass Itl will, thus be seen' that the structure herein speciiicallydescribed affords means l.t'or very economicallyproducing sectionalv elements tor a'signal box, such, for example,v as shown in Figsl l andfQ), andto produce structurally stiff. lightweightl and durable parts ot such articlesfor similarstructures. .e In attempting to fold .metalby pressing into a. boX shape-,1`v expensive dies are involvedwhen morethan two folds are `made at substantially right angles, and by the process and structure herein described such expense 1 is greatly minimized by making the reotan gular boX out of two separate parts, each one ot which requires only the turning up ot' two sides. Whether these boxesor sectional elements are square or rectangular, that is with unequal sides, the advantages ot construction are equally involved. By this construction greatest facility is also aiiorded for 'aperturing one side of the built-up section so as to vprovidethe desired opening to be covered by a glass or suitable transparency',` but also provides the means for 'holding the glass securely in position, with the minimum operations and therefore the minimum vcost ot dies, in the `forming of the structure. The section 6 and the section 7 of. the box, it will be noted, are identical,

when formed,and are simplyreveised Y inl' position for assembly,-so that one set of transparency opening isbotli at thefront ydies is suicient to -malie both parts ofthe box7 .and this is particularly applicable to the signal Vvdevice involved,l because. the glass or Q of the box and the rear yof the box, or both yfront andjrearof eachjsection, and conse- 4quentlythe symmetrical top and bottom are in combination .with the `symmetrical front and rear', in every detail of construction.y

While these improved 'sectional boxesv as "deif'elop'ed are essentially advantageous for useiny connection with thesignal boxes as herein shown, and as more fully described 1n my co-pending application, the inventions `may beA foundapplicable for other purposes i both; for economyof construction and advantages,inother respects.v f j `Various modificationsmay be made .without departing. from the spirit of this yinvention, but whatlclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is: f

' l. In combination in anautomobile signal box, a sectional element comprising two idenv tical integral stampedv metal sections, one rforming affront side and part of top andk bottoinof the casing,fandvthe other forming the rear side and v,part 'of bottom and top, the frontland rear sides being symmetrical, .ja sign panel in the-frontA side and asignpanel in the rear side yandjmeans `to ysupport a transparency adjacent each'` panel,symmet `ricarl interconnectinglseamsv on the interior kL of the top and bottom sidles,-and a source of asource Vof light, two identically shaped ystamped sheet metal parts, crimped edges on eacliof the partsfoi'ming interlocking joints one yat the top side andthe other at the botf .toni'of the box with the` joint projecting on tlieinterior surfacevand providing flush top and bottom fiat outside surfaces, a sign panel in the front of', one part and a sign panel in the rear of the other part, and means for holding a transparency sign in `cooperative relation'witli each of said panels.

3., In an automobile signal case a plurality of sectionalfelements each consisting of a rectangular shaped box adapted to register one on the top of the other, each sectional element having iiush top and bottom flat L .'surfaces, said lboxes each comprising two fiat-sided stamped metal parts, each of identical cross-section with intei'engaging joints inwardly. `projecting on each section, and means in said signal box for locking said plurality of elements together in fixed` engagement.

` 4.. An automobile signal case comprising a f plurality of sectional elements each consisting of a stamped metal` box of rectangular cross-section enclosing a source of light, each boxelement havinga Hush top and bottom surface and flat-sided front and rear faces y and a sign panel in tlieffront and the rear sides, a detachable frame forming apart of said signal case adapted to engage and lock .saidplui'ality of elements together in fixed engagement'and adapted for. releaseto per mit vextraction and interchange ofthe sec- Y tional elements.

5. In combination in an automobile signal casing, a plurality of sign panel boxes having a rectangular cross-section, a flush top side and bottom side on each box and a.

straight front and rea-r on each-box, sign panels inthe front and rear of each box and an enclosing frame for said casingengaging sai`d plurality of boxes to support the same nested in rigid position and a light vin each of said boxes between lthe front and rear sign panels. f

In testimony whereof, I have signed my naine to this application, this 16 dayfof January, 1923. p

l 'LOUIS VAN 

